TRANSFER RIBBON

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize inexpensively with good yield a transfer ribbon contributing to a reduction of operation costs. SOLUTION: A transfer ribbon 1 has ink panels Y, M, C, BK and a magnetic stripe area at one side band parts of the ink panels where information can be written and read by a magnetic means. The ink panels of planes are sequentially formed in a separable manner onto a heatproof base film and, heating parts of the panels are transferred onto a recording paper. Parts not yet adhered 3 are continuously formed via a predetermined distance on a magnetic film 2 of the magnetic stripe area. An identification mark 5 of a predetermined length for identifying a position of the ink panel Y, M, C, BK which is optically detectable is provided at the other side band part of the ink panel. A detecting means provided detects a count of magnetic films 2 or a count of the parts not yet adhered during the detection of the identification mark 5. An attribute of the ink panel can be identified by the count of magnetic films or the parts not yet adhered and detected by the detecting means.